[Marq]

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

Slow-mo. The Passion of the Christ is a war film. The battles are spiritual and ideological. The first battle is the battle of Gethsemane--a battle of betrayal and denial. Then the battle of pain, suffering, and humiliation. Then the final battle of forgiveness, resolution, and reconciliation. The use of slow motion is pure genius. If Gibson had played the battle of Gethsemane in real time it would have been a two-minute scene of violence.

I'm glad it worked for you, and I wish it did for me. But it didn't. It took me right out of the story.

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

If Gibson had filmed it in a Hollywood type of way you would have said to yourself “how trivial and boring, way to go Gibson for giving us yet another clichéd knife fight!”

I suppose I'll never know how I would have felt, but I'd hope I'd be more captivated by the scene. Another trivial use of slo-mo, and an admittedly short scene, was the throwing of the coins.

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

I mean, would you have preferred that Peter drop his knife and the Centurion and Disciple roll around on the ground for ten minutes with the knife sliding between legs and being lost in the olive groves?

Yes, that is exactly what I'd prefer. I'm being sarcastic. I'm not sure what the best methods would be to change the feel of the scene and its impact on me, but needless to say I didn't like it as it was. However, I would probably be in a minority, as most do appreciate the scene, and the film as a whole, more than I do. Different tastes elicit different emotions, etc etc ad nauseum.

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

As Gibson filmed it, you don’t recognize violence, (your not supposed to see violence) instead you are given time to ask yourself why this man is sought among all men, why, when he was previously troubled to the point of death, does he now calmly identify himself and go peacefully with the guards and command “those who live by the sword die by the sword.”

I did think that actually. So I suppose he was effective in providing me/ the audience a good understanding of the situation, but at the same time I felt removed from the moment due to his camera movements and other cinematic choices.

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

Obvious CGI. THE TEAR DROP. Well, how would YOU have portrayed the Holy Spirit descending to earth and baptizing the whole fucking world and tearing the temple curtain from top to bottom? Again, pure genius on the part of Gibson. It is so simple, yet it is so true. A single tear to reconcile mankind with God.

I didn't have too much of a problem with this scene (hell, I love the [much more effectively done to me] God-looking-down scene in Breaking the Waves).

Originally Posted by LeCercleRouge

Obvious CGI. THE DEMON CHILDREN Demons and spirits were rampant in the New Testament.

I realize this. I felt his use of them for shock value and heavy-handed reminders were ineffective.... to me.

We're obviously on very different pages regarding this film, so I'm not sure how much more "convincing" is needed on either side...